982 Seoul Students Confirmed COVID-19 Positive in the Past Week... Cho Hee-yeon "Preparing to Activate Emergency Plan"

Average 140.2 Daily Cases from 18-24
96% Attendance Since Full Return on 22nd
"Reviewing Additional Vaccine Appointment for Children and Adolescents"

On the 25th, the COVID-19 screening clinic at Songpa-gu Public Health Center in Seoul was crowded with citizens seeking tests. Photo by Moon Honam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Jinju] The number of student COVID-19 cases reported in Seoul over the past week has approached 1,000.

According to the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education on the 25th, 982 students in Seoul tested positive for COVID-19 during the week from the 18th to the 24th. This averages 140.2 cases per day.

By school level, the cases were ▲497 elementary school students ▲304 middle school students ▲121 high school students ▲34 kindergarteners ▲4 students from other schools ▲3 students from special schools.

Since the start of full in-person classes, 96% of Seoul's elementary, middle, and high schools have resumed attendance, with 86.3% (711,106 out of 824,400) of students attending. As of the 24th, the attendance rate was 87.8% (723,527 students).

The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education has allowed flexible attendance for overcrowded schools, with 56 schools (4%) implementing partial attendance. After consultation with school members, elementary grades 3 to 6 may attend up to three-quarters capacity, and middle and high schools up to two-thirds capacity.

Cho Hee-yeon, Superintendent of the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, stated at a press briefing held at the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education on the morning of the same day, "We are actively preparing to activate emergency plans by monitoring school infection situations and school quarantine conditions in real time," adding, "We have experience and manuals to respond according to the severity of the COVID-19 crisis."

The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education announced that it has received a notice from the Ministry of Education regarding additional pre-registration for COVID-19 vaccinations for children and adolescents.

Han Man-jung, Policy and Safety Planning Officer at the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, said, "The health authorities have clearly stated a recommendation for vaccination for those aged 12 to 17," adding, "So far, we have proceeded respecting parents' choice, but we are reviewing this further as a request for guidance through home correspondence has been made."